Choosing backup software is a structural decision for any Proxmox VE infrastructure. Two solutions dominate the market in 2026: Proxmox Backup Server (PBS), the native and open source solution developed by the Proxmox publisher, and Veeam Backup & Replication, the historical enterprise backup leader that supports Proxmox since version 12.3. This article provides a detailed comparison to help you make the right choice for your context.
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS): overview and strengths
Proxmox Backup Server is the backup solution designed and maintained by Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH, the same company behind Proxmox VE. Distributed under the AGPL-3.0 license, PBS is entirely open source and free to use, with optional commercial support via subscription.
PBS is the only backup solution developed by the same team that designs Proxmox VE, ensuring unmatched native integration and immediate compatibility with each new release.
PBS strengths:
- Open source (AGPL-3.0): auditable code, free, no VM or socket limits
- Native integration with Proxmox VE: direct configuration from the PVE web interface, no third-party plugin
- Client-side encryption (AES-256-GCM): data is encrypted before leaving your server, you alone hold the keys
- Variable-length deduplication: chunk-level splitting with variable size for optimal deduplication ratio
- Incremental backups: only modified blocks are transmitted, with automatic integrity verification
- Complete REST API: automation via API for CI/CD workflows and orchestration
- Flexible support: free active community, enterprise subscription available for professional support
Discover our PBS plans hosted in France with client-side encryption and sovereign hosting.
Veeam Backup & Replication: overview and strengths
Veeam is the global leader in enterprise backup, with an installed base of over 450,000 customers. Historically focused on VMware and Hyper-V, Veeam added Proxmox VE support since version 12.3 (released late 2024), acknowledging the growing adoption of Proxmox in datacenters.
Veeam strengths:
- Complete enterprise ecosystem: mature solution with years of development and a large community
- Multi-hypervisor support: VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Proxmox VE in a single console
- Application-aware backup: integration with Active Directory, SQL Server, Exchange, Oracle for consistent backups
- Built-in monitoring and reporting: detailed dashboards, alerts, compliance reports
- Advanced granular restore: file, application, object-level restore (Exchange emails, SQL tables, etc.)
Note: Veeam's Proxmox support is relatively recent (v12.3+). Some advanced features available for VMware are not yet ported to Proxmox. Additionally, the Veeam Community Edition is limited to 10 workloads and does not include technical support.
For Veeam users looking to offsite their backups in France, contact us for an iSCSI, rsync and SFTP compatible storage solution.
Detailed comparison table
Here is a point-by-point comparison of both solutions to help you objectively evaluate each criterion according to your needs:
* Veeam pricing varies by license model (per socket, per VM, or Universal License). The free Community Edition is limited to 10 workloads.
Use cases: when to choose PBS vs Veeam
The choice between PBS and Veeam primarily depends on your technical and organizational context. Here are typical scenarios to guide you:
Choose PBS when...
- Your infrastructure is 100% Proxmox VE with no other hypervisor
- You want to control costs without recurring license fees
- Native integration with PVE is a priority (zero additional configuration)
- Client-side encryption is a security imperative (zero-knowledge)
- You prefer open source and code transparency
- You are an SMB or startup with a constrained IT budget
Choose Veeam when...
- You manage a multi-hypervisor environment (VMware + Proxmox + Hyper-V)
- You need application-aware backup (SQL, Exchange, Active Directory)
- You already have an existing Veeam infrastructure and want to integrate Proxmox
- Compliance reports and enterprise monitoring are essential
- You need 24/7 commercial support with guaranteed SLA
- You are an enterprise with detailed reporting requirements
Our entry-level Single Drive PBS plan from 12 EUR/TB/month is ideal to get started with PBS. For enhanced protection, Double Drive geo-redundancy replicates your data across two separate sites.
For Veeam, our DirectDrive plan is compatible and allows you to offsite your backups via iSCSI or SFTP.
The cost factor: 3-year TCO
Beyond features, total cost of ownership (TCO) is a decisive criterion. Let's compare both solutions for a typical Proxmox infrastructure with 10 VMs and 2 TB of data to back up:
PBS 3-year TCO
Veeam 3-year TCO
For a 100% Proxmox infrastructure, PBS offers a TCO 3 to 5 times lower than Veeam, without compromising security thanks to client-side encryption. Over 3 years, the savings can exceed 9,000 EUR for a 10-VM infrastructure.
This calculation does not account for training costs (higher for Veeam) or administration time (lower for PBS thanks to native integration). The gap widens further on large infrastructures, where Veeam per-socket licenses can reach significant amounts.
Check our state of the art in Proxmox backups to explore protection strategies (air-gap, immutability, 3-2-1-1-0 rule).
NimbusBackup solutions with hosted PBS
NimbusBackup by RDEM Systems is the ideal partner for hosting your Proxmox Backup Server in France. All our PBS servers are deployed in Equinix datacenters in the Paris region, on our own BGP network infrastructure (AS206014). Client-side encryption, native deduplication and French technical support included.
Hosted PBS plans:
Single Drive PBS
12 EUR/TB/month
PBS backup on Meca, client-side encryption, 1 site
Double Drive PBS
22 EUR/TB/month
Geo-redundancy across 2 separate sites, automatic sync
AirGapped Drive PBS
34 EUR/TB/month
Physical disk rotation, complete anti-ransomware isolation
Drive Bank PBS
69 EUR/TB/month
Bank vault, maximum offsite protection
Magnetic PBS
89 EUR/TB/month
HDD + LTO archiving, 30+ year durability
Magnetic Bank PBS
149 EUR/TB/month
LTO in bank vault, maximum NIS2 compliance
For Veeam users:
DirectDrive
12 EUR/TB/month
Direct storage compatible with iSCSI, rsync, SFTP for Veeam
DirectMagnetic
18 EUR/TB/month
Direct storage + LTO archiving for long-term retention
You chose PBS? We host it for you.
PBS hosted in Equinix Paris datacenter, client-side encryption, French support. From 12 to 149 EUR/TB/month depending on your protection level.
Conclusion: PBS, the natural choice for Proxmox
The choice between PBS and Veeam often comes down to a simple question: is your infrastructure exclusively Proxmox, or mixed? For a 100% Proxmox VE environment, PBS stands out as the most logical choice: native integration, zero license cost, superior client-side encryption, and more efficient variable-length deduplication.
Veeam remains relevant in multi-hypervisor environments where advanced application integration (SQL, Exchange) is essential. But for the majority of Proxmox infrastructures, PBS's feature-to-price ratio is unbeatable. Need a turnkey environment? Check our analysis of TCO VMware vs Proxmox and our managed services comparison.
With NimbusBackup, you get the best of PBS (open source, client-side encryption, native deduplication) combined with professional hosting in France. From 12 EUR/TB/month, secure your Proxmox infrastructure without compromise.
Sources and references
Protect your Proxmox VMs with NimbusBackup
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